民国4年(nián ),袁(🔨)世凯意图称(🥇)帝,政局动荡(🔼)是(shì )年秋,吴淞镇(🛍)大火(huǒ ),灾(🤴)民数以万计,本就(jiù )鱼龙混杂的吴淞镇显得(dé )更为动(dòng )荡不安。因地(dì )方(fāng )善款(kuǎn )筹集(🚤),吴淞镇重(chóng )(🔸)修居民,却在某(mǒu )宅(🕯)架梁(liáng )时出现意外,期(🏐)间(jiān )爆出一(🛺)具男(nán )(🎿)尸,其(qí )状(😚)诡异(✖),引得镇上(🚑)流言(yán )(🥀)纷(fēn )起,镇民(🤷)惶恐(kǒng ),募(🚢)资请僧道做法驱邪(📯)超度,期间亦有江湖术士(🎛)混事,搅得镇上(shàng )一派乌烟瘴气。镇保(🌞)卫(🙄)团团长陆(lù )悦戎行伍出身(shēn )(🍄),最是不(bú )信神鬼之(🤲)说,,见此情形(🏯)不由大(🥕)怒(nù ),一(🧟)面(miàn )下令(lìng )驱散(sàn )僧道(dào )(👣)术(shù )士(shì ),一(yī )面差人找来镇上义(🛎)庄仵工吴(🦇)云根、柳归元师徒,命其验尸(shī )查明死(sǐ )(🚶)因,以正视听。镇上落魄乡绅(🤔)少爷石乐志少年游历颇广(🥤),得知此(cǐ )案(àn )(🥅)后便赶来(lái )查(chá )看,又见陆香邑在场,欲(🔫)有(yǒu )所(suǒ )表现(xiàn )(🌸),当(⏳)下一味指点(🔲)评(👛)说(shuō ),言语间对吴(🍺)云(yún )根、(👚)柳(liǔ )归元师(shī )(🧘)徒颇为(wéi )不屑(xiè )。吴云根对此(cǐ )不以为(🏸)意,自顾检(🧥)验死(👅)者身上的(de )绿芽,神(shén )(🈂)情颇为震惊(jīng ),继(jì )而借故推托(tuō )似有隐情,期间语焉不(🐇)详。